Friday 19 December 2014

My December TVK Box


I'm very happy with my December TVK box, especially the item in the front left corner! Even though this is my twelfth box, I'm still bursting to open it and discover what's inside! 


Initially I wondered what was inside the small tin in the corner of the box. It didn't take me long to find out..



Harper's Bizarre sell an impressive variety of beautifully scented candles - "proper smelling soya wax candles". The original and imaginative names of the candles will more than encourage you to buy one or...two, for example - "Jaffa Cake", "Praline Ice Cream", "Washing Line", "Snuggley Blanket", "Lemon Sherbet"! This "Jingle Bells" Candle is from the Christmas selection which also includes the magnificent fragrances of "Figgy Pudding" and "Oh Christmas Tree" - such awesome names. Described as "soft citrus & spice, spiced wine, soft pears and oranges" the Jingle Bells candle smells fantastic! 
"Most of them boom fragrance and if you don’t believe me, light a Washing Line or a Peony. Even with the subtle ones, the scent creeps everywhere, unless your home is the size of a small castle, and gathers in small pockets so that it can jump out and surprise you when you go to make a cup of tea. This is because we use top grade fragrance oils, high quality soya wax and we’ve tried and tested every candle that we sell. Soya wax itself is a beautiful fragrance carrier so it works harder at carrying the oils than cheaper waxes will."
Presented in beautifully designed classic tins, the candles are all handmade in small batches. The owner "designed, drew and wrote every logo, leaflet and label." A clever lady indeed! I will definitely treat myself to some more of these candles.



This packet of Gingerbread Toppers from Wholeplus looks so interesting but unfortunately it may contain traces of gluten. So very festive, other unique flavours in their Christmas range include Stollen and Choc-Orange. It's too late to order the Christmas range online now but go investigate their other products after the Christmas break if you're not on a gluten free diet, they're so original. If you want to know a little bit more about the company, check out my May TVK box post.


"teatonics was conceived on an inspirational trip across Latin America, then blended into being in Dorset. A desire for a more mindful way of life coincided with the serendipitous discovery of yerba mate, and the first teatonics blend was born.  These are not just herbal teas: they’re a revolution, cup by cup."
I haven't tried tasting these teas yet but I was very intrigued by their contents! The tea in the blue packet contains hops and I really wasn't sure if hops were gluten free - actually I don't think I've ever seen hops, all I know is that they're used in the brewing industry and most beer is not gluten free. So I looked it up and hops are gluten-free. The company currently only sell these two teas, the Yerba Mate blend and the Botanicals blend. Available to buy at selected stores as well as on their website, you can even subscribe to have them delivered to your door regularly. I'm looking forward to trying them.



Ideal for sensitive teeth and gums and suitable for all the family, this toothpaste from Green People doesn't contain any fluoride nor does it contain SLS. Started in 1997 with the aim to exclude all chemicals or additives which can produce allergic reactions such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, alcohol (ethanol), synthetic fragrances and colourants, Green People are now selling over 100 certified organic products in award-winning ranges for all of the family including specialist skin conditions. In fact, an outstanding feature of the website is the ability to search by concern. I'm always happy to try alternative toothpaste brands and I hope this one is better than some of the others I've tried. And, I must go back and explore the website since all the products look so good!



Finally, these lovely little gluten free biscuits or biskotakia from Olive Branch are the perfect addition to the TVK box for me. I'm saving them for Christmas! The olive oil in all the products on this site is produced from the owner's Father's olive business. 
"In Greece, Olive Oil is an essential part of our daily lives and locally produced Olive Oil is never more than an arm’s reach away. I want to use my own life experience to pass on knowledge to people, so they can really learn about what makes good quality Olive Oil.”
Olive oil is my preferred oil to cook with and I use it in both my savoury and sweet goods so it's lovely to be introduced to this fantastic award winning company who seem to really care about what goes into their products.

Also included in the box is a recipe card featuring a nut loaf created by Sharon of Bit of The Good Stuff, it looks wonderful and easy to make gluten-free.